Busy calendar remains for NHL teams

Busy calendar remains for NHL teamsJust because the Stanley Cup has been awarded doesn't mean the end credits have rolled on the 2013-14 NHL season. There are a number of big events coming in the next few weeks that will go a long way toward deciding which team is the final one standing a year from now.

Just because the Stanley Cup has been awarded doesn't mean the end credits have rolled on the 2013-14 NHL season.

There are a number of big events coming in the next few weeks that will go a long way toward deciding which team is the final one standing a year from now.

The hard work started Monday when the window opened for teams to offer compliance buyouts to players. Under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, teams were given two special buyout provisions that allow them to buy out a player's contract while not having it count toward the salary cap. And those compliance buyouts only could be used following the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons.

In addition to dealing with their current roster, NHL teams will get to look to the future at the 2014 NHL Draft, to be held June 27-28 at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. The first round starts Friday at 7 p.m. ET (NBCSN, TSN). Rounds 2-7 start will start Saturday at 10 a.m. ET (NHLN-US).

The Florida Panthers have the top pick, but Panthers general manager Dale Tallon said he is open to trading the selection if the right offer comes along.

There will be some fun had among the hard work with the NHL Awards on June 24 (7 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC). The show will be broadcast from the Encore at Wynn Las Vegas and hosted by George Stroumboulopoulos, the recently named host of NHL on Rogers.

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I don't have a crystal ball. Predicting is a real complicated thing. If we stay healthy, have enough depth and get the good goaltending we think we're going to have, you can go all the way. But a lot of things have to happen. There's going to be a lot of teams that think the same thing. Everyone made deals. We're all are optimistic about where we'll end up.

— Rangers general manager Glen Sather after being asked if he's constructed a team that can win the Stanley Cup before their 4-1 win against the Predators on Monday